Output apparatus and output method

ABSTRACT

An output apparatus comprises: a plurality of interface sections for inputting data which is supplied from an upper apparatus such as a host computer; an input buffer section to store the input data; an analyzing section for analyzing the input data and for forming predetermined image data; and an output section such as a laser beam printer or the like for outputting or printing the image data. The output apparatus further includes a judging section for judging whether the data inputted from which one of the plurality of interface sections should be deleted, a deleting section for deleting by a predetermined method the data of the input buffer section in which the data to be deleted has been stored, and a notifying section to notify the interface which is deleting at present to the operator. When the designated interface section differs from the interface section which is printing at present, it is judged that the data in the input buffer section should be deleted. When the designated interface section coincides with the interface section which is printing at present, the data in both the input buffer section and the data storing section to store the image data is deleted.

This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/507,939, filedFeb. 22, 2000, which is a division of application Ser. No. 08/357,330,filed on Dec. 16, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,204. The entiredisclosure of application Ser. No. 09/507,939 is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an output apparatus and, moreparticularly, to an output apparatus in which a plurality of interfacesections to input data which is given from an upper apparatus areinstalled and to its output method.

2. Related Background Art

Among conventional output apparatuses, for example, among printingapparatuses such as printer and the like, there is an apparatus in whicha plurality of interface sections to input data are installed and eachinterface section can be connected to a host computer, a network, andthe like through each predetermined cord. In case of such a printingapparatus, it can be used by a method such that, for example, a certaininterface is connected to a personal computer and the other interfacesare connected to a workstation through a network, or the like.Therefore, each time a printing process is executed from the personalcomputer or workstation, a complicated operation such that the cords arephysically connected again is unnecessary.

On the other hand, there is a case where, for instance, after theoperator sent data to the printing apparatus, he desires to stop theprinting process for the supplied data in the halfway before the processof the printing apparatus is finished. Or, in the case where, forinstance, the printing apparatus cannot perform a normal print and theprocess is interrupted because illegal data was inputted, there is acase where it is necessary to delete the illegal data which has alreadybeen stored in the printing apparatus. As a countermeasure for suchcases, many printing apparatuses have a function for deleting all ofdata stored in the printing apparatus and forcedly stopping the processby instructing the resetting from an operation panel or the like of amain body by the operator. Such a function to forcedly stop the processis, for example, called a resetting function.

In the case where the printing apparatuses are connected to a pluralityof host computers through a plurality of interface sections as mentionedabove or the like, however, when the above resetting function isexecuted, the data inputted from all of the host computers is forcedlydeleted. That is, in the case where, when a certain operator has sentillegal data from a certain host computer through a certain interfacesection and has executed the resetting process because he must stop theprinting process in the halfway, there is a problem such that the datainputted from another host computer through another interface by anotheroperator is also deleted at the same time, so that another operator isannoyed by a certain operator or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made to solve the above problem and it is anobject of the invention to provide output apparatus and output method inwhich data in a buffer corresponding to an interface which wasarbitrarily designated is deleted.

To solve the above problems, according to the invention, there isprovided an output apparatus comprising: a plurality of interfacesections for inputting data which is supplied from an upper apparatus;an input buffer section for storing the input data; an analyzing sectionfor analyzing the input data and for forming predetermined image data;and an output section for outputting the image data, wherein theapparatus further includes judging means for judging whether the datainputted from which one of the plurality of interface sections should bedeleted and deleting means for deleting by a predetermined method thedata in the input buffer section in which the data to be deleted hasbeen stored.

To solve the above problems, according to the present invention, thereis provided an output apparatus comprising: a plurality of interfacesections for inputting data which is supplied from an upper apparatus;an analyzing section for analyzing the input data and for formingpredetermined image data; a data storing section for storing the imagedata; and an output section for outputting the image data, wherein theapparatus further includes judging means for judging whether the imagedata for the data inputted from which one of the plurality of interfacesections should be deleted and deleting means for deleting by apredetermined method the data in the data storing section in which theimage data to be deleted has been stored.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of a first output apparatus to whichthe present invention can be applied;

FIG. 2 is an external view of a second output apparatus to which theinvention can be applied;

FIG. 3 is a system block diagram of the output apparatus in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an I/F reset interrupting process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Before explaining a construction of an embodiment, preferredconstructions of a laser beam printer and an ink jet printer to whichthe embodiment is applied will now be described with reference to FIGS.1 and 2.

A printer to which the embodiment is applied is not limited to the laserbeam printer and ink jet printer but printers of other printing systemscan be also used.

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view showing a construction of a firstoutput apparatus to which the invention can be applied and shows a caseof, for example, a laser beam printer (LBP).

In the diagram, reference numeral 1500 denotes an LBP main body forreceiving and storing print information (character code or the like),form information, macro command, and the like which are supplied from ahost computer connected to the outside, for forming a correspondingcharacter pattern, form pattern, or the like in accordance with thoseinformation, and thereby for forming an image onto a recording paper orthe like as a recording medium.

Reference numeral 1501 denotes an operation unit on which switches, anLED display device, and the like for the operation are arranged.Reference numeral 1000 indicates a printer control unit to control thewhole LBP main body 1500 and to analyze character information and thelike which are supplied from the host computer. The printer control unit1000 mainly converts the character information to the video signal ofthe corresponding character pattern and outputs to a laser driver 1502.The laser driver 1502 is a circuit to drive a semiconductor laser 1503.The laser driver 1502 switches the on/off operations of a laser beam1504 which is emitted from the semiconductor laser 1503 to be turned onor off in accordance with the input video signal. The laser beam 1504 isswung to the right and left by a rotary polygon mirror 1505, therebyscanning and exposing onto an electrostatic drum 1506.

Due to this, an electrostatic latent image of the character pattern isformed on the electrostatic drum 1506. The latent image is developed bya development unit 1507 arranged around the electrostatic drum 1506 and,after that, the developed image is copy transferred onto the recordingpaper. A cut sheet is used as a recording paper. The cut sheet recordingpapers are enclosed on a sheet cassette 1508 set in the LBP main body1500 and are picked up and conveyed one by one into the apparatus by apaper feed roller 1509 and conveying rollers 1510 and 1511, and thepaper is supplied to the electrostatic drum 1506.

The LBP main body 1500 has at least one or more card slots (not shown),thereby enabling an optional font card and a control card (emulationcard) of a different language system to be connected in addition to thebuilt-in font.

The LBP main body 1500 further has a hard disc, so that the main body1500 can store font data or can down-load the contents of the foregoingoptional font card and a control card (emulation card) of a differentlanguage system.

FIG. 2 is an external view showing a construction of a second outputapparatus to which the invention can be applied and shows a case of, forexample, an ink jet recording apparatus (IJRA5100).

In the diagram, a carriage HC which is come into engagement with aspiral groove 5004 of a lead screw 5005 which rotates in an interlockingrelation with forward/reverse rotation of a drive motor 5013 throughdriving force transfer gears 5011 and 5009 has a pin (not shown) and isreciprocated in directions of arrows (a) and (b). An ink jet cartridgeIJC is mounted on the carriage HC. Reference numeral 5002 denotes apaper pressing plate which presses the paper to a platen 5000 in themoving direction of the carriage; 5007 and 5008 photocouplers whichfunction as home position detecting means for recognizing the existenceof a lever 5006 of the carriage in the area of the photocoupler and forperforming the switching operation of the rotating direction of themotor 5013 or the like; 5016 a member to support a cap member 5022 forcapping the whole surface of the recording head; 5015 sucking means forsucking the inside of the cap and for performing the sucking recovery ofthe recording head through an opening 5023 in the cap; 5017 a cleaningblade which can be moved in the front and rear directions by a member5019; 5018 a main body supporting plate which supports the blade 5017and member 5019; and 5012 a lever to start the sucking operation of thesucking recovery. The lever moves in association with the movement of acam 5020 which is come into engagement with the carriage and a drivingforce from the driving motor is transferred and controlled by well-knowntransmitting means such as a clutch switching or the like.

Although those capping, cleaning, and sucking recovery are constructedin a manner such that a desired process can be performed by theoperation of the lead screw 5005 at its corresponding position when thecarriage reaches a region on the home position side, it is sufficient toconstruct so as to perform a desired operation at a well-known timing.

The IJRA main body 5100 has at least one or more card slots (not shown)so as to connect an optional font card and a control card (emulationcard) of a different language system in addition to a built-in font.

The IJRA main body 5100 further has a hard disc and can also store fontdata and down-load the contents of the optional font card and controlcard (emulation card) of the different language system as mentionedabove.

FIG. 3 is a system block diagram showing a construction of a printingapparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and showsthe laser beam printer shown in FIG. 1 as an example.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 1500 denotes the laser beam printer(hereinafter, referred to as an “LBP”) comprising the printer controller1000 (hereinlater, referred to as a controller), an engine 4, the paneldevice 1501, and a disc device 6. The LBP 1500 is connected to externalhost apparatuses 2 a and 2 b. The LBP is constructed in a manner suchthat it receives the print data or the like from the host apparatuses 2a and 2 b, and executes a printing process.

In the controller 1000, a CPU 7 controls each section on the basis ofvarious kinds of control programs stored in a PROM 8. In the PROM 8, thefollowing programs have also been stored: a print data analyzing programwhich is referred by the CPU 7 when the input data such as print data orthe like is interpreted and converted into the image data; a firstdeleting program for deleting the data stored in an input buffer sectionby a predetermined method; a second deleting program for deleting thedata stored in a frame buffer section by a predetermined method; ajudging program for comparing the designated interface section and theinterface section which is executing the printing process at present andfor judging either one of the first and second deleting programs whichis used; and the like.

A first host interface (hereinbelow, the interface is referred to as an“I/F”) 11 a and a second host I/F 11 b are the interfaces forcommunicating the print data, command, and the like with the hostapparatuses 2 a and 2 b, respectively. An engine I/F 12 communicateswith the engine 4 which actually prints. A panel I/F 13 is an interfacefor communicating an instruction and a state with the panel device 1501for indicating a state of the LBP 1500 to the operator and forinstructing to change a printing environment or to designate the I/F tobe reset for the LBP 1500 by the operator. A disc I/F 14 communicateswith the disc device 6.

Reference numeral 9 denotes an RAM having: a first input buffer 9 a totemporarily store the input data such as print data or the like from thehost 2 a; a second input buffer 9 a to temporarily store input data suchas print data or the like from the host 2 b; a frame buffer 9 c to storethe image data; and a current I/F name storage area to store the name ofI/F which is executing the printing process at present. The RAM 9 isalso used as a work area of the CPU 7.

Reference numeral 10 denotes an NVRAM (non-volatile memory) in which anarea to store information such as a printing environment or the like isheld.

The panel device 1501 comprises; a first I/F reset button 5 a which isdepressed in the case where the operator desires a resetting process ofthe input data from the first I/F 11 a; a second I/F reset button 5 bwhich is depressed in the case where the operator desires the resettingprocess of the input data from the second I/F 11 b; a first LED 5 cwhich is turned on during the resetting process of the data from thefirst I/F 11 a; a second LED 5 d which is turned on during the resettingprocess of the data from the second I/F 11 b; a liquid crystal panel(not shown) to display a character train (for instance, the name of theI/F which is being reset); and the like.

The disc drive 6 is an external storage apparatus to store various kindsof data, such as hard disc drive, magnetooptic disc drive, floppy discdrive, or the like.

The engine 4 is an apparatus to actually print the image data to therecording medium.

The LBP 1500 receives an electric power from a power source section (notshown).

An ordinary printing process which is executed by the LBP 1500 in thecase where data is supplied from the host 2 a will now be described withreference to FIG. 3.

When data is supplied from the host 2 a to the LBP 1500 through the hostI/F 11 a, the CPU 7 stores the input data (which is constructed by acharacter code and a control code) into the first input buffer 9 a. TheCPU 7 also stores the value indicative of the first I/F, for example,“1” into the current I/F storage area 9 d.

After all of the input data was stored in the input buffer 9 a, the CPU7 interprets the print data stored in the input buffer 9 a withreference to the print data analyzing program stored in the PROM 8 andconverts, for instance, a character code to a character pattern, therebyforming the image data. The image data formed by the CPU 7 is storedinto the frame buffer 9 c (bit map memory).

The CPU 7 interprets all of the input data and forms the image data andstores into the frame buffer 9 c and, after that, sends the image data(bit map data) stored in the frame buffer 9 c to the engine 4 throughthe engine I/F 12.

When receiving the image data transmitted from the CPU 7 through theengine I/F 12, the engine 4 prints and outputs the image data onto anactual recording medium.

As mentioned above, in the case where the data is inputted from the host2 a, the LBP 1500 executes the ordinary printing process, therebyactually outputting the image data to the recording medium.

In the case where the data is supplied from the host 2 b, the LBP 1500executes processes similar to those mentioned above excluding that theinput data (which is constructed by a character code and a control code)is stored in the second input buffer 9 b and a value indicating thesecond I/F, for example, “2” is stored in the current I/F storage area 9d, so that the image data is actually outputted to the recording medium.

In this instance, when the operator depresses the first I/F reset button5 a or second I/F reset button 5 b provided for the panel device 1501during the ordinary printing process as mentioned above, an interruptionto reset the first I/F or second I/F is notified to the CPU 7. Theresetting process which is executed by the controller 1000 in this casewill now be described with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 4.

A program shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 has been stored in the PROM 8and is executed by the CPU 7.

When the interruption notification to reset the first or second I/F isgenerated from the panel device 1501, the CPU 7 judges whether it is theinterruption notification to reset the first I/F or not in step S1. Whenthe CPU judges that it is the interruption notification to reset thefirst I/F in step S1, the CPU 7 turns on the first LED 5 c of the paneldevice 1501 through the panel I/F 13 in step S2. In step S3, a check ismade to see if the value stored in the current I/F name storage area 9 dis equal to “1” (the first I/F) or not. In the case where the value (1)indicative of the first I/F has been stored in the current I/F namestorage area 9 d, this means that the input data received from the hostapparatus 2 a was being printed. In the case where the value (2)indicative of the second I/F has been stored, this means that the inputdata received from the host apparatus 2 b is being printed. In step S3,when the CPU judges that the value stored in the current I/F storagearea 9 d is equal to “2”, namely, the input data from the second host isbeing printed (or, during the pattern development), the CPU 7 deletesthe input data stored in the first input buffer 9 a in step S4. This isbecause the controller 1000 was executing the printing process (or, thepattern developing process) to the input data received from the secondhost 2 b just before the interrupting process is started and the imagedata (corresponding to the input data received from the second host 2 b)stored in the frame buffer 9 c is not deleted. In step S5, after theinput data stored in the first input buffer 9 a was deleted, the CPU 7turns off the first LED 5 c, thereby finishing the interrupting process.In this case, since it relates to the reset interruption in which theinput data from the second host 2 b is being printed (or, during thepattern development), after completion of the interrupting process, theprinting process (or, pattern developing process) of the input data fromthe second host 2 b which was interrupted by the interrupting process isrestarted. On the other hand, when the CPU 7 judges that the valuestored in the current I/F name storage area 9 d is equal to “1”, namely,the input data from the first host is being processed (or, during thepattern development) in step S3, the CPU 7 deletes the image data storedin the frame buffer 9 c in step S6. This means that the controller 1000was printing the data received from the first host 2 a (or, during thepattern development) just before the interrupting process is started, sothat the image data to be printed has been stored in the frame buffer 9c. The processing routine subsequently advances to step S4 and the inputdata stored in the first input buffer 9 a is deleted as mentioned above.In step S5, after the input data stored in the first input buffer 9 awas deleted, the first LED 5 c is turned off and the interruptingprocess is finished.

In this case, the process interrupted by the interrupting process is theprinting process of the data from the first host computer and theresetting process of the data from the first host computer is executedby such an interruption. Therefore, after completion of the interruptingprocess, the printing process of the data from the first host computerwhich was interrupted is not started again.

When the CPU judges that the interruption indicates the interruptingnotification to reset the second I/F in step S1, the CPU 7 turns on thesecond LED 5 d in step S6 and a check is made in step S7 to see if thevalue stored in the current I/F name storage area 9 d is equal to “2” ornot.

When it is judged that the value stored in the current I/F name storagearea 9 d is equal to “1”, namely, the input data from the first host 2 ais being printed (or, during the pattern development), the CPU 7 deletesthe input data stored in the second input buffer 9 b in step S8. This isbecause the controller 1000 is executing the printing process (orpattern development) to the input data received from the first host 2 ajust before the interrupting process is started and the image data(corresponding to the input data received from the first host 2 a)stored in the frame buffer 9 c is not deleted.

Subsequently, in step S9, the CPU 7 deletes the input data stored in thesecond input buffer 9 b and, after that, turns off the second LED 5 d.The interrupting process is finished. In this case, since the resettinginterruption in which the input data from the first host 2 a is beingprinted (or, during the pattern development) is performed, when theinterrupting process is finished, the printing process (or, patterndeveloping process) of the input data from the first host 2 a which wasinterrupted by the interrupting process is restarted.

On the other hand, in step S7, when the CPU 7 judges that the valuestored in the current I/F name storage area 9 d is equal to “2”, thatis, the input data from the second host 2 b is being printed (or, duringthe pattern development) in step S7, the CPU 7 deletes the image datastored in the frame buffer 9 c in step S10. This is because since thecontroller 1000 was executing the printing process (or patterndevelopment) to the input data received from the second host 2 b justbefore the interrupting process is started, the image data to be printedhas been stored in the frame buffer 9 c.

The processing routine advances to step S8 and the input data stored inthe second input buffer 9 b is deleted in a manner similar to the above.In step S9, when the deletion of the input data stored in the secondinput buffer 9 b is finished, the second LED 5 d is lit off and theinterrupting process is finished. In this case, the process interruptedby the interrupting process is the printing process (or data developingprocess) of the input data from the second host 2 b. The resettingprocess of the input data from the second host 2 b is executed by suchan interruption. Therefore, after the interrupting process, the printingprocess (or pattern developing process) of the input data from thesecond host 2 b which was interrupted is not restarted.

As described above, according to the embodiment, the input data in theinput buffer of an arbitrary I/F which is designated by the user can bedeleted. For example, even when the input data is received from thefirst host 2 a through the first I/F 11 a and is being printed (or,during the pattern development) (when the first I/F 11 a is in an activestate), the input data is received through the second I/F 11 b and theinput data stored in the input buffer 9 b can be deleted.

As described above, only the data which needs the resetting process canbe reset. A situation such that the data which doesn't need to be resetis forcedly reset can be prevented. Further, since the LED whichproperly indicates the I/F is ON during the resetting operation, theoperator can recognize the I/F which is executing the deleting process.Therefore, a situation such that the data is erroneously sent to theinterface which-is executing the resetting process and the data isdeleted and is not printed and outputted can be prevented.

Although the embodiment has been described with respect to the case ofusing the LBP as a printing apparatus as an example, the invention isnot limited to such an example. For instance, another printer such asLED printer, dot impact printer, or the like or another printingapparatus such as printer, copying apparatus, or the like can be alsoused.

Although the embodiment has been described with respect to the casewhere the apparatus has a plurality of input buffers as an example, itis also possible to construct in a manner such that one input buffer isused and an identifier or the like of the I/F name is added to each datato be stored.

Although the example using the panel device has been shown and describedas a method of designating the I/F to be reset by the operator, it isalso possible to use a method of designating the I/F to be reset by acommand through the host computer.

Although the embodiment has been described with respect to the examplein which the interface during the resetting process is notified to theoperator by using the LED on the panel device, the name of the interfaceduring the resetting process can be also displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay (LCD) on the panel device. Or, such an interface name can bealso notified to the host computer through a bidirectional interface anddisplayed on a display device such as a CRT or the like.

With such a construction, the invention is particularly effective to thecase where the upper apparatus such as a host computer or the like andthe printing apparatus such as a printer or the like are installed atremote positions or the like.

The invention can be applied to a system comprising a plurality ofequipment or may be also applied to an apparatus comprising oneequipment. The invention can be also obviously applied to the case wherethe invention is accomplished by supplying a program to a system or anapparatus.

In the above embodiment, the input buffer (comprising a character codeand a control code) stored in the input buffer has been deleted.However, a type phase or macro data can be also deleted every I/F.

According to the above embodiment, the image data in the frame buffer ofan arbitrary I/F that is designated by the user can be deleted.

1. An output apparatus comprising: an input storage unit adapted tostore input data from an external apparatus; an analysis unit adapted toanalyze the input data stored in said input storage unit so as to formimage data; an image data storage unit adapted to store the image dataformed by said analysis unit; an addition unit adapted to add anidentifier to the input data; a judgment unit adapted to judge whetherthe image data has been formed from the input data, based on theidentifier added by said addition unit; and a deletion unit adapted todelete the image data in said image data storage unit, based on ajudgment made by said judging unit.
 2. An output apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein said deletion unit deletes the image data in said imagedata storage unit and prevents said analysis unit from forming the imagedata from the input data, based on a judgment made by said judgmentunit.
 3. An output apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said deletionunit deletes the input data stored in said input storage unit, based onthe identifier added by said addition unit.
 4. An output apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein said deletion unit deletes the image datastored in said image data storage unit in response to an instructionfrom the external apparatus.
 5. An output apparatus according to claim1, wherein said output apparatus comprises a printer controller.
 6. Anoutput control method comprising: an input step of inputting data froman external apparatus; an analysis step of analyzing the input data soas to form image data; an addition step of adding an identifier to theinput data; a judgment step of judging whether the image data has beenformed from the input data, based on the added identifier; and adeletion step of deleting the image data based on a judgment made insaid judgment step.
 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein saiddeletion step deletes the image data and prevents formation of the imagedata from the input data in said analysis step, based on a judgment madein said judgment step.
 8. A method according to claim 6, wherein saiddeletion step deletes the input data, based on the added identifier. 9.A method according to claim 6, wherein said deletion step deletes theimage data in response to an instruction from the external apparatus.10. A method according to claim 6, wherein said method is performed in aprinter controller.